Easy Roasted Beets
These easy roasted beets turn earthy root vegetables into tender, caramelized bites with rich natural sweetness. A simple, foolproof beet recipe perfect for salads, bowls, or simple side dishes.
Craving The Recipe Details?
What it is: Tender, caramelized oven roasted beets with rich natural sweetness and concentrated flavor.
Why you’ll love it: Much easier than boiling and deep caramelized flavor that only roasting can achieve - ready in about 1 hour!
How to make it: Trim the greens, toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper, cover with foil, and roast at 400°F for 60-90 minutes until fork-tender, then simply rub the skins off under cold water.
Summarize & Save This Recipe On:
It's funny how the things we used to be forced to do as kids are now life's little pleasures.
Work in the garden? Love it.
Go to bed early? Yes, please.
Eat weird vegetables? I'll take seconds, thanks.
Maybe it's changing tastebuds, or maybe it's discovering how truly good simple vegetables can be when they're cooked well. These oven roasted beets fit right in with other deeply flavorful veggie sides like my smoked brussels sprouts and smoked asparagus. Simple ingredients, big payoff.
They also pair beautifully with a hearty main like cross rib roast, making them a versatile staple for weeknights and Sunday dinners alike.
This easy roasted beets recipe is dedicated to changing tastebuds.
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Key Ingredients
Beets: Choose beets that are firm to the touch and seem heavy for their size. Discard soft or wiggly beets.
Olive Oil: Olive oil helps to soften up the skin on the beets, making them easier to peel.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Roast Beets In The Oven
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400f. Meanwhile, chop the greens off the beets, leaving about an inch or so of the stems attached. This helps to eliminate bleeding color while cooking. Scrub the beets under cool running water to remove dirt and debris. I like to use a bristled veggie brush, but anything works.
- Step 2: Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of your roasting pan, I like to use my shallow chafing pans, they’re perfect for this kind of recipe. Try to sort the beets into similar-ish sizes in your baking pan, as similar sized beets should cook on the same timeline.
Generously drizzle olive oil over the beets, then toss to coat, rubbing the beets to ensure they are fully coated.
- Step 3: Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste before covering the baking pan with heavy duty foil.
- Step 4: Roast beets at 400f for 45-60 minutes for medium-sized beets or 60-90 minutes for large beets, until easily pierced with a fork. This depends on the size of the beets.
Try your oven roasted beets in my roasted beet and goat cheese salad!
- Step 5: Remove from oven and allow to cool until you’re able to handle them.
- Step 6: Run the beets under cold water and rub the skin to remove. Chop or slice the beets as desired for serving.
Got Lots Of Beets? Freeze Them! Check out this easy how to freeze beets guide! We do this every fall and eat fresh-tasting beets ALL winter long!
Expert Tips
- If you’re not growing them in your own garden, you definitely need to find a find a friend with a garden, because fresh beets are SO much better than store bought!
- Put away your stock pot. This recipe is much easier than boiling. The beet flavour is more concentrated and roasting caramelizes the sugars in a way that boiling cannot duplicate.
- Choose beets that are similar in size, keeping them close in size will keep them on a uniform cooking schedule. Different sized beets take different lengths of time and to avoid hassle or over/under cooking, keep them the same/similar sizes.
- They will stain. Beets are notorious for staining your hands, your clothes, and your cutting boards – prevent this by using a non-porous cutting board (like glass) and wearing gloves and an apron. Alternatively, you can wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling to reduce staining.
Simple Roasted Beets FAQs
Oven roasted beets can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, making them great for meal prep! If you’re like me and you love batch cooking, you can freeze your beets for up to 6 months.
Part of what makes this recipe so easy is the peeling! By roasting the beets skin on and allowing them to cool, we’re able to slip the skins right off without using a peeler.
Roasted beets shine with just a pinch of salt and pepper, though you can get creative and make a honey glaze, toss them with fresh herbs, or add a squirt of citrus.
Yes! You can use a covered baking dish with a tight fitting lid instead of foil. The key is trapping steam to keep beets moist. If you roast uncovered, they will dry out and be harder to peel.
You can! Many people roast beets by wrapping each one in foil, but I prefer roasting them in a group. It cuts down on waste, minimizes work, and it’s just so much easier.
Why Roast Beets Instead of Boiling?
I grew up eating boiled beets, but once I tried roasting, there was no going back. Here’s why this oven roasted beets method is superior:
- Flavor Concentration: Roasting at 400°F caramelizes the natural sugars in beets, creating a deep, sweet, earthy flavor with slight caramelized edges thanks to the Maillard reaction. Boiling dilutes flavor as sugars leach into the water.
- Better Texture: Roasted beets have a tender but slightly firm bite. Boiled beets often become waterlogged and mushy, especially if you overcook them even slightly.
- Easier Peeling: After roasting, the skins literally slip off under cool water. Trying to peel raw beets with a peeler is much more difficult.
- Hands-Off Cooking: Yes, roasting takes longer (60-90 minutes vs. 25-40 for boiling), but it’s completely hands-off. You can prep other dishes while beets roast.
Serving Suggestions & Ideas
These simple roasted beets are versatile and can easily elevate weeknight dinners, salads, or bowls. Here are some delicious ways to enjoy them:
- Simple Side Dish
- Serve warm, drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Pair with sous vide whole chicken, cross rib roast, or smoked brisket for a colorful, nutrient-rich side.
- Beet & Goat Cheese Salad
- Toss sliced roasted beets with mixed greens, crumbled goat cheese, candied pecans or walnuts, and a light balsamic vinaigrette.
- Add thinly sliced red onion or a few arugula leaves for a peppery bite.
- Grain Bowls
- Add roasted beets to a quinoa, farro, or brown rice bowl.
- Top with avocado, feta or halloumi, roasted chickpeas, and a lemon‑tahini dressing for a hearty, plant-forward meal
- Beet & Citrus Medley
- Combine sliced roasted beets with orange or grapefruit segments, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of fresh mint.
- Serve as a refreshing, lightly sweet salad or side dish.
- Meal Prep Idea
- Roast extra beets and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
- Add to salads, grain bowls, or sandwiches throughout the week for quick flavor and color.
More Easy Vegetable Recipes
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📖 Printable Recipe
Easy Roasted Beets
Ingredients
- 1 lb beets
- ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400f. Prepare a baking dish by drizzling 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom of the dish. Set aside. Meanwhile, wash and prep 1lb of beets by trimming the greens leaving about an inch of stems intact.
- Place the beets into the baking dish. Drizzle with approximately 3 tablespoons olive oil, and toss to coat. Salt and pepper the beets to taste. Cover the baking dish with heavy-duty tin foil.
- Roast beets at 400f for 45-60 minutes for medium-sized beets or 60-90 minutes for large beets, until easily pierced with a fork.
- Remove from the oven and allow the beets to cool until the beets are able to be handled.
- While running cold water, hold the beets under the stream and rub the skin to remove.
- Chop or slice as desired before serving.
Notes
- If you're not growing them in your own garden, you definitely need to find a find a friend with a garden, because fresh beets are SO much better than store bought!
- Put away your stock pot. This recipe is much easier than boiling. The beet flavour is more concentrated and roasting caramelizes the sugars in a way that boiling cannot duplicate.
- Choose beets that are similar in size, keeping them close in size will keep them on a uniform cooking schedule. Different sized beets take different lengths of time and to avoid hassle or over/under cooking, keep them the same/similar sizes.
- They will stain. Beets are notorious for staining your hands, your clothes, and your cutting boards - prevent this by using a non-porous cutting board (like glass) and wearing gloves and an apron. Alternatively, you can wash your hands and cutting board immediately after handling to reduce staining.
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